Dartmouth Researcher Challenges AMA Data

Data quality is becoming more important than ever in determining such critical healthcare issues as the need for primary care physicians. But a Dartmouth researcher who co-authored a recent study on primary care staffing says American Medical Association data on physicians is "not accurate."

Physicians self-report their specialty, activity, location and other characteristics to the AMA. This self-designated data makes the AMA Physician Masterfile the nation's most comprehensive source of information on physicians. The database remains the gold standard for physician credentialing. As we continue to work toward solutions to alleviate the physician shortage, the AMA Masterfile is a leading source of information on physician supply and distribution.